Favourite Things: Clouds of imagination…
On our flying trip to the semi-Big Smoke last week, Violet and I played games. We have managed (so far) to resist the whole portable DVD players for the kids – although we aren’t exactly techno-phobes. The i-pod does get quite a workout with music through the stereo and has been know to play Kung Foo Panda on its tiny screen to calm the little beasts on occasion.
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But mostly, we talk or sing and play games. I figure it’s the only time I have their captive attention – and all too soon they’ll be teenagers and waaaay too cool to talk to us at all! Anyway, as I was saying, Violet and I were playing one of our favourite games, spot the cloud shape.
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Suddenly she called out: Mummy – there’s a horse! I’m looking in the roadside paddocks for a flesh-and-blood version when she (using a very exasperated teenager tone): No Mummy – in the sky!
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So I looked up.
Ummm. Where Violet?
THERE, she yelled, little index finger jabbing impatiently in front of her face.
Can’t you see it?
It’s looking right at us!
Oh yeah.
Leaning down from the top left.
Nose down low.
Ear shooting off to the right.
Wow!
Great mustering eyes, little girl!
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The things you’d miss if they were just watching movies in the back seat!
10 Comments
Tracey
OK, still trying to work out the horse, but I totally agree with you on avoiding the dvd player. We have managed so far (15, 13 and 10), and without being such a wonderfully interactive mum as you.
Someone famous (could have been someone like Ben Elton) reckoned that kids should learn how to cope with being bored (with car trips) and to chill out and look at the countryside. I tend to agree with him. ‘Cos look what you can see!
(I love clouds too!)
Danielle Michelle
Who said technology advanced our culture? I’m still not seeing it but kudos to your kiddo and to you too for being a great mom!
Jayne
Kids need to learn how to entertain themselves coz otherwise they end up expecting to be pandered to and as thrill-seekers looking for an adrenaline rush in dangerous ways. They have a high chance of becoming addicted to gambling, drinks/drugs, etc, looking for other “rushes”.
So, yeah, you’re doing the right thing and cloud gazing will float anyone’s boat 😉
Portia
It’s great to have time to do some imagining. In the first picture, I thought it looked like a duck.
Why did you call it a “flying vacation”? My American translation would mean that I flew in an airplane to vacation.
Debby
It doesn’t matter what we see. What matters is that our Violet knows how to work her imagination. And, apparently, her imagination works just fine…
Rose
I totally see clouds. Just clouds. I have no imagination. lol. We take a portable dvd player as well as a gameboy to keep our three year old entertained on long trips. He has more than enough imagination, although for his energy level, he’s hard to conain for long periods of time, and the movies keep him happy, and us sane!!!
Bush Babe
Right-o – can see I might have needed Photoshop (which I am currently living WITHOUT… aargghhh!) – it’s a horses head just looking right at you. Look hard… ear jutting off to the right at top, muzzle at darker cloud at bottom centre of pic…
That help??
And ‘flying trip’ means I was only in town for 1 1/2 hours all up! Doing about 20 jobs. I flew!!
🙂
BB
rhubarbwhine
Great to hear not everyone has their nose in a portable DVD or DSlite 😉
jeanie
Tell Violet I think its a giraffe. 🙂
Either that or a dragon, because its eyes are a bit poppy and there is a hint of steam out of its left nostril.
But it definitely could be a horse with poppy eyes and steaming nostrils – just like an Arab, I suppose.
Every little girl should be able to see Arab horses flaring in the clouds!
Sabra
I remember riding in the car, looking out the window, I loved it. The whole DVD in the car thing hadn’t started yet when my kids were little. They always complained about being bored when we were traveling. I invested in Disney movie soundtracks and travel bingo to keep them occupied.